With more than $1,000 in cash and prizes at stake, PMQ’s America’s Best-Looking Pizza Contest drew dozens of entries from pizzeria owners and managers across the country. PMQ’s editorial staff judged the contest, and here we share the judges’ overall thoughts on the top three finalists and other submissions that made us salivate and hungry for more.

1st Place: LOCAL MYTH – CHELAN, WA

Judges’ thoughts:
What a beautiful pizza! A nice balance of color and texture, along with an in-your-face angle, combined to make this gorgeous pie from Chelan, Washington’s Local Myth the overall winner.

 

2nd Place: Posto – Boston

Judges’ thoughts:
Beautiful classical photography and composition made this shot from Posto a close runner-up. Looks delicious!

 

3rd Place: Mario’s – Orlando

Judges’ thoughts:
Mario’s classic pie has a very nice harmony, with the tomato red and mozz white balancing each other in a symmetrically pleasing frame. That crust looks yum!

 

“This was a super-close competition! Our readers went above and beyond to send us their most beautiful pies, making our job of deciding winners pretty difficult. In the end, it was a great showcase of the pizzaiolos’ artistry.”

— Eric Summers, PMQ Pizza Magazine Art Director